The Chartered Engineer
The Chartered Engineer
• Welcome
• Introductions
• Personal thoughts
• How to go from A to B
CEng MIStructE
• Global standard of excellence
• 105 countries
• Ireland, UK, Australia, NZ,
Canada, Middle East etc.
Why CEng MIStructE?
• Rigorous standard
• IPD – portfolio of experience, core objectives
• Formal examination
Purpose of tonight’s lecture?
• Clearly explain the process
• Give you contacts to support you through the process
• Demystify the process
A daunting process?
• Applicants overly focussed on the exam and the low pass rate
• Experience
• Preparation
Experience
• IStructE recommends 4 to 5 years relevant experience (IPD Phase)
• Exam – one week in the design office squeezed into 7 hours
• Development of two distinct solutions
• Draw on a range of skills and knowledge including geotechnical engineering
Experience
Preparation
• Lack of preparation
• Finding time in a busy professional life
• Finding time in your personal life
Preparation (~ 6 months)
• Preparing a lever arch folder
• Undertaking random papers - no time limit
• Time limit of a weekend
• Trial runs within time limit
Route to Membership
Route to Membership – MRA (Mutual Recognition Agreement)
CEng MIEI
IPD
IPD
PRI – Professional Review Interview
Professional Review Interview
Once you are satisfied that all the core objectives have been completed, you should consider applying
for the PRI. You will need to complete the IPD Final Report Form for each of the 12/13 core objectives
(additional sheets may be used). The IPD Final Report should be your statement summarising how all
your experience and training has enabled you to satisfy the requirements of the objectives.
When completing IPD Final Report Forms, points to remember are:

Make it personal

Make it positive

Clearly state how you have achieved the core objectives
The Professional Review Interview (PRI) is designed to test your ability and ensure that you have
satisfied all 12/13 core objectives within your Initial Professional Development (IPD). The length of the
interview will vary according to the routes you have taken and the length of time it takes for the
reviewers to determine whether you have reached the required standard in each objective. The
reviewers will ask you to make a presentation of no more than 15 minutes (no electronic aids will be
allowed) with the interview lasting approximately 60 minutes.
Whilst the reviewers will try to help you by asking appropriate questions, it is important that you can
demonstrate that you have achieved the necessary attainment levels for ALL 12/13 core objectives. In
PRI – Professional Review Interview
Interview schedule
Interviews (Chartered and Associate-Member grades) are scheduled between October and December
(unless otherwise arranged with the Professional Development Officer). Provisional dates for
interviews are expected to be available from August/September each year.
Application deadline

Chartered and Associate-Membership: 1 September (1 April for candidates in Hong Kong)

Candidates applying through the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) route: 20 November
What happens if I fail the interview?
If you fail 1 to 3 objectives you will only be interviewed on those objectives next time. If you fail 4 or
more you will be required to sit the full interview next time.
Chartered members of the Institution will be able to demonstrate:
• A sound understanding of core structural engineering principles.
• The ability to use relevant existing technology coupled with the ability to locate and use new
research and development to benefit their work and structural engineering generally.
• The ability to solve complex structural engineering problems and produce viable structural
design solutions using appropriate methods of analysis.
• The ability to exercise independent judgement in the application of structural engineering
science and knowledge.
• Technical, management and leadership skills to plan, manage and direct human, material and
financial resources.
• Commitment to the public interest in all aspects of their work, including health, safety, risk,
financial, commercial, legal, environmental, social, energy conservation and sustainability.
• Effective communication and interpersonal skills.
• Knowledge of the statutory and other regulations affecting current practice in structural
engineering.
• A significant base of information technology skills.
• Commitment to the profession of structural engineering, particularly with regard to the
Institution’s Code of Conduct and the requirement for Continuing Professional Development.
There are three stages in becoming a Chartered member of the Institution:
1. Achievement of the required educational base.
2. A period of responsible work experience initially under guidance and supervision, known as
Initial Professional Development (IPD).
3. Success in the Institution Professional Review (PR) which normally includes the
Professional Review Interview and Chartered Membership Examination
The core objectives of your training are arranged in three sections:
1. Personal: effective communication and interpersonal skills, leadership and professional
commitment.
2. Engineering: identification and solution of engineering problems and the safe, economic
and sustainable implementation of the solutions.
3. Management and commercial: efficient procurement and management of resources within
economic, environmental and regulatory constraints to achieve the engineering objectives
The minimum standards required for the core objectives are:
A
Appreciation
A general appreciation of the subject is required, as well as an understanding
of how the subject may affect, or integrate, with other subjects.
K
Knowledge
A knowledge and understanding of the subject and its application is required.
E
Experience
The subject should be performed independently or under supervision.
B
Ability
Perform the subject without supervision and be competent to advise others.
The Core Objectives
1.0 PERSONAL
1.1 INSTITUTION
Objective: Knowledge of the Institution and involvement
in Institution affairs
The candidate should demonstrate knowledge of the structure
and purpose of the Institution of Structural Engineers, together
with an awareness of the Institution’s Code of Conduct.
• Regular attendance at regional group meetings/seminars over a prolonged period of time
• Regular contact with members of the regional group committee
• Knowledge of and adherence to the Institution’s Code of Conduct
• Knowledge of the Institution’s Council and committee structure and the work of those committees
• Regular use of the Institution’s website
• Regular review of the Structural Engineer journal
• Knowledge of the Institution services including CPD courses and the library
• Knowledge of the international dimension of the Institution
• Knowledge of other institutions and disciplines
• Industrial engagement with a local university/college in terms of delivering lectures, assisting in
the marking of project work and mentoring
1.2 COMMUNICATION
Objective: Ability to demonstrate effective communication and interpersonal skills
The candidates should demonstrate competence in effective communication and
inter-personal skills using written, oral and visual media. Where resources permit the candidate should
demonstrate the ability to communicate via IT links, produce spreadsheets and database documents.
The candidate should develop ability in writing letters, summaries and reports, both factual and
interpretative.
Candidates may choose to record involvement in the following:
• In-house presentations
• Formal communication e.g. technical report writing
• Presentations to schools
• Team building exercises
• Institution competitions e.g. Young Structural Engineers’ International Design Competition or
other
competitions supported by other institutions
2.0 ENGINEERING
2.1 CONCEPTUAL DESIGN
Objective: Ability to produce viable structural solutions, within the scope of a design brief,
taking account of structural stability, durability, aesthetics, sustainability and
Cost
The candidate should demonstrate competence in conceiving approximated scheme
solutions to assess the viability of alternative materials and forms of construction.
In producing designs candidates should be able to demonstrate ability in the following:
• Assessment of the brief
• Load transfer and overall stability
• Foundations and soil/structure interactions
• Function of frame system
• Progressive or disproportionate collapse
• Location and use of the structure
• Sustainability and environment
• Construction methods, materials and costs
2.2 ANALYSIS AND DESIGN
Objective: Ability to carry out analysis and design of structural forms
The candidate should demonstrate an ability to solve structural engineering problems
using a variety of suitable methods of analysis and media, including both traditional methods, using
hand calculations, and computer analysis using proprietary software. The candidate should also
understand the limitations of such techniques
The candidate would typically be able to demonstrate competence in the following aspects of structural
design:
i.
The design of at least one of the primary structural materials (concrete, steel, masonry, timber).
ii.
The ability to carry out the design of individual components.
iii. The ability to determine and apply appropriate loading criteria and the ability to determine the
appropriate load path.
iv. The ability to assess soil-structure interaction, including alternative sub-structure solutions
appropriate to the form of construction and prevailing ground conditions.
v. The interface between primary materials, e.g. concrete with steelwork.
vi. The integration of other design disciplines.
Candidates should be able to perform the following tasks without supervision and be confident to
advise others:
• Basic beam and frame interaction
• Braced and unbraced frame analysis
• Buildability and construction techniques
• Movement joints
• The software packages involved in the analysis/design process
• Subframe analysis
• Structural planning
• Soil-structure interaction
• Various types of static and dynamic loading
2.3 MATERIALS
Objective: Ability to specify and co-ordinate the use of materials
The candidate should develop knowledge of the properties and behaviour of the
primary construction materials, i.e. steel, concrete, masonry and timber, such that they can determine
the advantages and disadvantages of the use of these materials and should have an understanding of
the principles of material selection
Steel: grades and types of steel and other metals including their physical properties and
their limitations. Their use as primary or secondary materials e.g. beams or rebar fixings, protection
requirements, etc.
Concrete: grades and types of concrete – its use, durability and properties including thermal
shrinkage etc.
Masonry: types of masonry – its use, durability and properties including thermal shrinkage etc.
Timber: grades and types of timber
Other materials including glass, plastics, etc. can also be considered.
2.4 ENVIRONMENT
Objective: Knowledge of relevant environmental, societal, sustainability and economic
issues, and associated legislation
The candidate should demonstrate knowledge of the relevant environmental and
sustainability objectives, issues and legislation, and their influence on the design process and solutions
adopted.
The candidate should have knowledge of:
• the measures required to protect the environment and to achieve more broadly defined
sustainability objectives
• the implications of design choices and construction methods on the environment
• the wide range of environmental and sustainability issues raised by the selected design solution,
along with the project construction methods and the selection of construction materials
Candidates may choose to develop knowledge of:
• Protection of vegetation and wildlife at the planning, design and construction stages
• Environmental legislation
• Methane/radon gas
• Sustainability (and knowledge of the Institution’s Panel on this matter)
• Brownfield sites
• Contaminated land
• Environmental Impact Assessments
• Recycling construction
2.5 CONSTRUCTION
Objective: Experience in construction techniques
The candidate should demonstrate experience in construction techniques, construction
plant and machinery, temporary support systems, material testing procedures, construction
programmes, construction sequencing, etc.
Candidates should be encouraged to gain knowledge and experience in some or all of the areas listed
below:
• Demolition
• Setting out
• Materials testing
• Defects and their investigation
• Temporary works
• Substructure construction
• Superstructure construction
• Construction programming and sequencing
• Site construction plant
• Health and safety
3.0 MANAGEMENT AND COMMERCIAL
3.1 MANAGEMENT SKILLS
Objective: Experience in management skills for
programming and control
The candidate should demonstrate experience in the following aspects of
management and leadership:
i.
Project team management and leadership skills.
ii.
Programming and project control.
iii. Liaison and interface management
This experience may be gained through:
• Attendance at project meetings (design and contract)
• The development of project management skills including the definition and
organisation of the project and its constituent phases
• The management of people and the interface with stakeholders within the project
• The development of time management and delegation skills
• Partnering
3.2 LAW
Objective: Appreciation of the law and statutory legislation
The candidate should demonstrate an appreciation of the law of the construction
industry with respect to statutory legislation, health and safety legislation, insurance, contract law, and
the contractual obligations effective within the construction industry, relevant to the candidate’s location.
Candidates should be encouraged to develop an appreciation of:
• Statutory legislation/negligence/liability laws
• Contract law
• Health and safety legislation
• Insurance matters
• Adjudication process
• Arbitration process
• The role of the expert witness
3.3 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Objective: Experience in health and safety requirements and legislation
The candidate should demonstrate experience of using health and safety standards
and reports on structural and construction safety, publications produced by public authorities, relevant
trade bodies and professional institutions
Candidates are required to develop their experience in health and safety issues including:
• Health and safety legislation
• Hazards and risk assessments
• Health and safety standards and reports of safety, e.g. SCOSS reports
• Insurance
• Risk management
3.4 COMMERCIAL AWARENESS
Objective: Appreciation of commercial and financial constraints
The candidate should be aware of commercial pressures within the construction
industry and develop an appreciation of the effects of national and international current affairs on the
cost of raw materials, labour and manufacturing processes, market forces, the effects of taxation, etc.
Candidates are required to have an appreciation of commercial issues including:
• Costs and the impact of national and international affairs on the demand and supply of raw
materials, labour and manufacturing processes
• Value engineering and whole life project costing
• Bill of quantities
• Competitive tendering
• Fee assessment and quotations
• Monitoring the control of project costs within their office
3.5 CONTRACT DOCUMENTATION
Objective: Knowledge of procurement routes and forms of contract
The candidate should develop knowledge of the various standard forms of contract for
the procurement of both construction and design services and a knowledge of appropriate procurement
issues, e.g. partnering, dispute resolution, etc.
Knowledge of different forms of contract relative to the candidate’s field of work such as:
• Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
• Public Private Partnership (PPP)
• Design and build contracts
• Partnering
• Management contracts
• Joint Contracts Tribunal
• Institution of Civil Engineers forms of contract
• Association of Consulting Engineers conditions of engagement
• Nominated sub-contracts
3.6 QUALITY SYSTEMS
Objective: Knowledge of quality systems
The candidate should develop an understanding of the requirements for quality
systems and a knowledge of the specific procedures required to achieve quality in design and
construction including:
• Total Quality Management
• Quality Management Systems e.g. BS ISO 9001; 2000
• Project Quality Plans
• Environmental Management Systems (EMS)